M K Stalin, the working president of DMK, said that 21 of its party workers have died unable to bear the “shock” of the illness and hospitalisation of party chief M Karunanidhi in the early hours of Saturday.
The party has appealed to the cadres not to take any extreme step in view of the 94-year-old former chief minister’s health.
“I am deeply depressed to learn that 21 party workers have died unable to bear the shock of party president Kalaignar’s illness (and hospitalisation),” DMK Working President M K Stalin said.
As Karunanidhi continues to be under intensive care for the fifth consecutive day today at the Kauvery Hospital in Chennai, the party top leader said he was grieved by such deaths and conveyed his condolences to the next of the kin of the affected families.
The identity of the deceased has, however, not been disclosed by him.
Quoting a statement from the hospital, Stalin said the health condition of the party patriarch was “normalising,” and a team of doctors was constantly monitoring him.
Stalin said slogans urging Karunanidhi to come back had not gone waste. “Even during heavy rain, party workers were shouting ‘Thalaiva va’ (leader, come back). Those slogans came from their hearts. This has led to the improvement in his health condition,” said Stalin.
Karunanidhi was admitted to the hospital on July 28 following a dip in his blood pressure.
